Hawaii Governor Signs Marriage Equality Bill

Hawaii became the fifteenth state to legalize same-sex marriage yesterday after Governor Neil Abercrombie signed a marriage equality bill into law.

The bill "recognizes marriages between individuals of the same sex and extends to same-sex couples the same rights, benefits, protections, and responsibilities of marriage that opposite-sex couples receive," according to a press release from Governor Abercrombie. It will also allow the civil unions previously afforded to same sex couples to be "converted" to marriages through an online procedure.

"We have moved into a new era of Aloha for same-sex couples, who can now share in the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," said Attorney General David Louie.

The Hawaiian victory comes on the heels of several others, including a bill passed by the Illinois state legislature last week (which Governor Pat Quinn has committed to signing), and the New Jersey Supreme Court's decision in October to allow same-sex marriage.

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